Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-22
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
In many countries, paying for things using mobile phone (cellphone) apps is becoming increasingly common. Does this development have more advantages or more disadvantages?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
In this tech-savvy word many people depend on various technologies to complete their daily tasks whether at home or work. Many nations among the globe are following a trend to charge the customers on using various apps on their phones. This development has both pros and cons which I will be discussing in upcoming paragraphs along with relevant examples.
To start with benefits of this trend, it can help in developing better task specific apps. In other words if tech developers get more revenue on basis of subscription model then they can invest it back into research and innovation and provide with better versions. Which can be served to targeted consumers. Secondly, if their will be charge on adult websites it will stop minors from getting exposed to nudity and adult content.
On the other hand, it comes along with few demerits as well. To begin with, there are many low income professionals and families who can not afford these paid services and due to this reason it can make their lives difficult. For example my nephew is in high school and he belongs to poor family and depends on free YouTube educational vedios for preparation of exams but now he is unable to do so due to implementation of members only charges on Youtube. In addition to this, sometimes good movies unable to reach mass audience. If there are heavy subscriptions fees on OTT plateforms then people might prefer not to watch it. For example, Netflix India has very clostly fees so I am unable to watch some good content.
To conclude, I believe there are both advantages and drawbacks which come along with these trend but demerits such as overpricing can be controlled by forming price regulation committees.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt, but the interpretation of 'paying for things using mobile phone apps' is slightly off-topic. You focused on subscription models and adult content restrictions rather than the broader trend of mobile payment systems (like Apple Pay, Google Pay, or digital wallets). While you provide reasons for your position, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. The argument regarding adult websites is not directly related to the core topic of mobile payment convenience. To improve, ensure you clearly define the scope of the topic—mobile payments—and provide more relevant, focused examples that directly support the advantages or disadvantages of this specific technology.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'To start with', 'Secondly', and 'On the other hand' to signal transitions. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes mechanical, and the logical link between the introduction and the body paragraphs could be smoother. Some sentences are fragmented, such as 'Which can be served to targeted consumers', which disrupts the flow. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each sentence is grammatically complete to maintain a cohesive flow of ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'tech-savvy', 'subscription model', and 'innovation'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'charge the customers on using' instead of 'charge customers for using', and 'clostly fees' (likely a spelling error for 'costly'). The phrase 'tech-savvy word' is also a misuse of 'world'. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning, you need to work on precision and collocation to move into the higher bands. Try to focus on learning how words are naturally paired in English.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'if their will be charge' should be 'if there is a charge', and 'sometimes good movies unable to reach' is missing a verb ('are unable'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some sentences ending prematurely. While you attempt complex structures, the control over them is inconsistent. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and prepositions. Proofreading for basic sentence construction errors will significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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